The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1887-02-13
THE ARMoRY oF CHINA.
Sudden Rise Of the Oriental Nation To
Place Among the Powers.

Ionuon spectator
The sudden rise of China to place among the
"Word Powers is by far the greatest change
which this generation has witnessed In Asiatic
politics II Is scarcely vet six years since the
great empire stood ms much outside the politics
of the world, and especially the politics of
Europe, as II she had belonged to Il separate
and distinct planet \ few observers, II Is
true, who had noticed recent events-thc eN-
pirntion OF the Panthays, the orasure Of the
Kingdom of Dashgar and the determined at
titudc assumed by pekin when demanding the
rctroccsson of Kuldia hy the Russinns--had
begun Is doubt whether the vitality of China
had not been undcrraicd hut the statesmen of
Europe paid her very little attention. The de.
spntCh Of an ambassador To Europe was con
sidcrcd rather an nhsurdty; II was Necessary tu
protect his suite from insult in London by some
rather sharp sentences; aud the French govern,
mcni, when II began lis experiments In Indu-
China, openly pronounced the Chinese empire
to hc uHC gdn'hC UCg'igdb'c. We ourselves
DELAYED carrying out the treaty of Ticn-tsiu
with certain Indifferent Incidence, and In
Central Europe China was considered an in
tcrcstng geographical expression. Within siN
years this indifference has completely dis
appeared, aud China Is now recognized by all
diplomatists us state ui the first Importance,
which can exercise direct aud serious iniu-
cncc un almost every great power
She stands. In fact, IN direct contact with the
majority of them, II Is not too much TO say
that the statesmen of Pckin could overthrow
any French ministry by merely increasing their
pressure of TonQuin and encouraging the Ana
mcse to attempt an insutrcctiun. That Is to
say, they could compel the French government
To ask for men and money with which to defend
their Indo-Chnese possessions on u scale which
the pcusantry would assurcdly not bear, and
which, even II voted, would ALLEVIATE the Cham
her. The Chinese are quite aware Of this fact,
and are even now striking blows at Fianc,
which cxasperaics the Foreign Oilicc In Paris I,
the last degree. Pclin has dccrccd that the old
/ arrangement, confirmed hy n treaty IN 1850, ",
which France Is the recognized protector o
Catholic Chinese converts, shall he abrogatcd
aud though NJ. de Frcycinct RACES and Threatens
both China and the papacy, the change undc
which the Pope will plant n,ncio in Peki,
has been already arranged, and France vii
have no remedy except In impracticablc war
| The Chinese could In Burmah make cvcrythin.
difficult for the British government. which agail
| has every reason to desire their friendship, no
only because the opium revenue depends upol
| II, hut because in any grand struggle with Rus
sia the alliance with China might enable lis I,
| effect n serious diversion, perhaps to cmharras
| the government of St Petersburg more than h,
any direct attack In the Black Sea. The lndial
government, acting In unison with that of China
would control nearly half the human race, an,
could exert n force in Asia with which even tn
masses Of soldiery at the disposal of the CZa
would be unable to contend. To Russia, in
deed, China is one Of the most formidable %
States, because by any invasion of Manchooria
| or of the territory west of kuldia, the Chimes
Emperor can at discretion compel 81. Peters
burg either to submit to defeat which woul
he followed by Instructions throughout Asati
Russia, or To forward m army over 1900 mile
of an nhospitablc country at an expense whic
would bc rliinous to any treasury in the world
One can hardly imagine a worse position thai
that of Russian Emperor with Europea,
war on hand, yctcompcled to defend his ascend
ancy in Tartary against general like Tso.
In Paris. London, aud st. Petersburg, there
fore the Marquis rscng is one of the most hon
ored and influential of diplomatists, and cvci
In Berlin he is received with marked respect
for Prince Bismarck never forgcts thu, Slav AN,
German may one day he compelled To try issu
Of war; and he has ideas about ships colonies
and commerce. which Pckn can materially All
or ihwart. Indeed, the influence Of Chin
stretches even beyond Asia and Europe, fo
Washington Is anxious about Chinese trade ha
most delicate questions to settle about Chimes
immigrants, and only last week voted consid
cradle indemnity 10 Pckin, in consideration q
outrnges suffered by Chinanien at the hands q
roughs upon the Pacific Slope No other As
attic state enjoys anything approaching to III
same influence or is In the least likely Ia he rct
ognizcd or thought Of as one of the cilccu
great powers of the world.